The City of Nightmute provides a small water facility, which is the central watering point for residents to haul their own water. The City also provides water and sewer haul service. The city utility system has 37 residential units, 5 commercial/residential and 6 commercial units. The school has its own sewage lagoon. A washeteria is not available. The Nightmute Power Plant was acquired by AVEC in March 1998. Electricity is provided by AVEC.

RUBA Status & Activities This Qtr:

There were no travels made to Nightmute by the Bethel Staff. There hardly are employees working at this quarter due to subsistence activities and financial situation in the city.

RUBA Activities for the Coming Qtr:

Will request copies of the Budgets and CFS's as soon as the Temporary city bookkeeper completes them and also Monthly Financial Reports.
The last RUBA agreement with Nightmute was signed in 1996. A new RUBA agreement will be requested.

Scores:

Essential Indicators:

14 of
24

Sustainable Indicators:

6 of
27

Total Score:

20 of
51

Finances

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

No

All revenues and expenses for the utility are listed in the utility budget.

No

The utility has adopted a balanced realistic budget.

No

Monthly financial reports are prepared and submitted to the policy making board.

N/A

The utility is current in paying all water/wastewater electric bills.

No

The utility has on hand a year's adequate fuel supply or it has a financial plan to purchase an adequate supply.

No

The utility is receiving revenues (user fees or other sources) sufficient to cover operating expenses.

The temporary city clerk is working on the Budgets and CFS's, as soon as she gets them done she will present it to the mayor for further refinement and adoption. The Mayor has been advised by the Bethel staff to make the city fuel order from an outside fuel vendor instead of relying on the local fuel vendors. The decision made by the council to buy from a local fuel vendor had been a poor choice as evident of last springs fuel shortage in the community.

Accounting Systems

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

N/A

The utility has adopted a collection policy and actively follows it.

N/A

The utility bills customers on a regular basis.

Yes

An accounts receivable system is in place which tracks customers and reports past due accounts and amounts.

Yes

An accounts payable system is in place.

Yes

The payroll system correctly calculates payroll and keeps records.

Yes

A cash receipt system is in place that records incoming money and how it was spent.

Yes

The utility has a cash disbursement system that records how money was spent.

Sustainable Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

A chart of accounts is used that identifies categories in a reasonable, usable manner.

Yes

Monthly bank reconciliations have been completed for all utility accounts.

Yes

The utility has a purchasing system that requires approval prior to purchase, and the approval process compares proposed purchases to budgeted amounts.

Accounting Systems Comments

There is no information on the financial situation of the utility, since there are no Monthly Financial Reports out of the city to the Bethel office.

Tax Problems

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The utility has a system to accurately calculate, track, and report payroll tax liabilities.

Yes

The utility is current on filing tax reports.

Yes

The utility is current on making tax deposits.

Yes

If there are any past due tax liabilities or recorded tax liens, a lien release has been issued or a repayment agreement has been signed and repayments are current.

Tax Problems Comments

The city is not the list of communities with outstanding federal tax liens. They are current in their payroll tax payments.

Personnel System

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The utility has a posted workers compensation insurance policy in effect.

Sustainable Indicators

Answer

Question

No

The utility has adopted and uses a Personnel Policy, which has been reviewed by an attorney, AML or Commerce for topics and language.

Yes

The utility has adequate written job descriptions for all positions.

No

The utility has adopted and follows a written personnel evaluation process that ties the job description to the evaluation.

No

The utility has an adequate written hiring process.

No

The utility has personnel folders on every employee that contain at least: I-9, Job Application and Letter of Acceptance.

Yes

The utility has a probationary period for new hires that includes orientation, job training/oversight, and evaluations.

No

The utility provides training opportunities to staff as needed and available.

Personnel System Comments

The mayor is a working mayor and a temporary city clerk was recently hired in June 2006. She is working on updating the financial system of the city.

Organizational Management

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The entity that owns the utility is known; the entity that will operate the utility is set.

No

The policy making body is active in policy making of the utility.

No

The policy making body enforces utility policy.

No

The utility has an adequately trained manager.

Yes

The utility has an adequately trained bookkeeper.

No

The utility has an adequately trained operator or operators.

Yes

The utility has adopted the necessary ordinances (or rules and regulations) necessary to give it the authority to operate.

Sustainable Indicators

Answer

Question

No

The utility has adopted an organizational chart that reflects the current structure.

No

The policy making body meets as required.

Yes

The utility complies with the open meeting act for all meetings.

Organizational Management Comments

A temporary City Bookkeeper was hired to work on the financial management part of the city. She is currently working on the budget and has yet to start on the Monthly Financial Reports.

Operation of Utility

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The utility operator(s) are actively working towards necessary certification.

No

The utility has a preventative maintenance plan developed for the existing sanitation facilities.

Sustainable Indicators

Answer

Question

No

The manager receives a monthly O&M report from the utility operator and routinely "spot checks" the facilities to see that the maintenance items are being completed.

No

The utility has a safety manual and holds safety meetings.

No

Utility facilities have not suffered any major problems/outages due to management issues that are unresolved.

No

The utility is operating at the level of service that was proposed.

No

The operator provides status reports to the manager on a routine basis.

No

The utility has completed and distributed its "Consumer Confidence Report".

No

The utility is not on the "Significant Non-Complier" (SNC) list.

No

The utility maintains an inventory control list.

No

The utility maintains a critical spare parts list.

Operation of Utility Comments

The Nightmute Watering Point owned and operated by the city is on the updated SNC list (as of June 8, 2006). Their 2004 and 2005 CCR have not been done and they had been sent a letter advising them of organizations and reports available to them of assistance with completion of their 2005. Also, a "How To RTC" was mailed to them in May of 2006.